All posts tagged ‘who’s on first’

Who’s on First, a picture book based on Abbott & Costello’s iconic comedy routine and illustrated by John Martz, is a great gift for any baseball-loving geeklings in your life. Photo: Patricia Vollmer.

I’m sure most of us have heard of it, right? Who’s on First by William “Bud” Abbott and Lou Costello has been elevated to pop culture heights over the years. If you’ve never heard it, here’s the full routine as shown in the 1945 film The Naughtie Nineties.

My sons have started recreation baseball already, and with Major League Baseball Spring Training kicking off in the next couple weeks, we certainly have baseball on our minds here right now. My family had the chance to read and enjoy a delightfully illustrated version of the classic Abbott and Costello routine. My sons got such a kick out of the rabbit and bear characters, and the way that the players on the team are presented so young readers understand the joke right away.

The pictures of the rabbit (who has Costello’s role) cracked us up! Here the rabbit is learning for the first time that I Don’t Know is on third base. Photo: Patricia Vollmer.

My 10- and 8-year old sons are serious baseball fans. I’d even argue they’re baseball geeks in that they study the statistics that are used to define successful baseball players. My oldest son, who was on a youth baseball team called the Tigers, named after the Detroit Tigers, was thrilled that his namesake team made it to the World Series last fall, and that their third baseman, Miguel Cabrera, won Major League Baseball’s Triple Crown, a significant statistical achievement.

If you have children who enjoy baseball or softball, this is a perfect complement to their personal library.

John Martz’s adorable characters are presented as an assortment of animals, such as an inchworm, puppy, rooster, alligator and an owl. After the story, the last pages are dedicated to a brief history of the original “Who’s on First” comedy routine from the 1930s, and some of the accolades the routine, Bud Abbott, and Lou Costello have all received.

For the most part, the routine is presented true to form. Only one exception jumped out at me, and that’s when Costello’s character proclaims in the book “I … Don’t … Give a Hoot!” to which the response is “Oh, that’s our shortstop.”

In the routine, the shortstop is either “I Don’t Care!” or “I Don’t Give a D**n!”.